Shadow Rising
by To the Wild Rose
Summary: A girl with a dangerous gift struggles with the forbidden love of a handsome knight and a menacing evil that is threatening to destroy her world.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So this story is going to be super exciting! I am just going to wing it and see how things go! Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER FOR THE ENTIRE STORY: I DO NOT OWN GUNDAM WING OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!**

The countryside was dark. The moon's light was blocked by a thick cloud that hung over the sky like a blanket. No stars were visible, not even a hint of light filtered to the earth. It was on nights like these that the darkest of deeds were performed. It was nights like these that black magic took hold of people's hearts.

A lone figure walked through the woods. He was in a hurry to get to his destination, constantly looking over his shoulder to see if he was being followed. He did not trust the night, in fact he hated it, but in times like these he had to be cautious. He could not be seen. If anyone were to find out what he was doing, who he was serving….

He shuddered at the thought. Instead he pushed his way onward, and into the thick of the forest, making his way through the underbrush. He was close enough now that he could breathe a sigh of relief. A couple hundred yards more and he was there, he had reached the cave.

He went inside, and after a few yards he found a torch lighting his way. It was the perfect hiding spot to serve the purposes of his master well. Well hidden, deep inside Rankin Forest, a place said to be haunted for many centuries now; a myth that the man did not doubt for a minute. If it had not been for the protection of his master, the man would never have ventured into the haunted woods alone.

A cavern appeared and at the very middle of it a small pool of water. The man went over to a wall and lit another torch. He went to the opposite wall and lit yet another one, and then another one until the entire cavern was illuminated with a fiery light. After that the man dropped to his knees next to the little pool.

He withdrew a small vial from his cloak and poured the contents into the water. Steam rose from the liquid and the man breathed in the vapors. His eyes slowly rolled into the back of his head, and his body shook with a fierce seizure. The man hated this part, but it was all for his master's bidding.

"You have been a faithful servant, Saul," a deep voice suddenly said.

The man, Saul, collapsed on the ground and slowly regained his senses. He dared not to look at his master. To look at his lord in square in the eyes would mean his death. Shaking with fear, Saul bowed to the ground.

"My only hope is that I serve you well, master."

"You do what is expected of you," replied the voice. "But nothing more," he added sharply.

Saul shrank back some, "Sire, I have done all I can. One man can only do so much. Perhaps if you only gave me some more time…"

"Time!" exclaimed the voice. "I have given you plenty of time! You were asked to do one simple task."

"Sire, I have not found the right girl, yet! She must be perfect!"

"Yes, she must be," interrupted his master. "And every pathetic girl you have ever brought to me thus before has proved useless to me! It's time that I find what I'm looking for, not leave it up to some sniveling servant like you!"

"But my Lord, I have served you well, you even told me I have been a most faithful servant!" exclaimed Saul shaking all over.

"You have been faithful but you have also proven yourself to be unworthy of my cause! I will look on my own from now on. It is time that I took shape once more…"

"But that would mean a human sacrifice is needed! I cannot possibly find someone to willingly submit to your cause and die so that you may take shape once more!"

"But, my faithful servant, you already have…"

With sudden horror, Saul knew exactly what his master meant. He scrambled to his feet but it was too late, he felt himself looking into red eyes; eyes of pure evil, eyes that bore down into his soul. Saul let out a blood curdling scream even though he knew no one would ever hear him.

0000

Relena ducked in and out of the marketplace. The city was buzzing with excitement. It was a rare day indeed when the Five came to visit. Shops were bustling with customers and Relena laughed as she saw several young women her age scourge the dressmaker's shop for new robes. All wanted to look their best for the legendary soldiers of the Cinq Kingdom; the Five men who had saved the world from destruction and who led the people to victory time and time again. They were the sworn protectors of the Imperial family, and of the people.

Relena, like anyone else, was excited for their arrival, but unlike other silly girls her age, she had work to do. She refused to set her priorities aside so that she may swoon over the handsome young men who would be riding into the city at the head of the Imperial Army.

Quickly she ducked into a bookshop, the finest in the Imperial City, and ran to the back storage room where she found an older man taking inventory and surveying his stock.

"Father, I am home!" she called to him.

He turned around and smiled at her loving face. "Relena, my dear, you should be getting ready for the parade! They are supposed to be arriving by midday."

"Father you know I cannot possibly watch it without you by my side."

Mr. Darlian smiled at his daughter. He should have known better than to think Relena would have gone into the excitement without him. "Go change your dress, that one has ink stains from the printing press on it. I will finish with the inventory and then we shall close the shop and venture into the city together."

"I do not care what I look like, father. They are just ordinary men. I will not look my best so that I might swoon and dote upon them as the other girls do."

Her father sighed. Even at the tender age of eighteen, Relena was not a foolish girl. She looked beautiful beyond her years, even in her ink stained frock, but Mr. Darlian would not be dissuaded this time. These were not ordinary men and it was a time to celebrate. It was the tenth year of peace in the Cinq Kingdom. Ten years had passed by without any fear or threat of war. It was cause for celebration indeed, and they all had the Five to thank for it.

"Relena, you know these are not ordinary men. You are beautiful, daughter. I am not asking you to swoon over the soldiers, just merely to not humble your looks for once. It is a time of peace and I want you to shine among the brightest of the stars tonight."

Relena blushed. "Very well, I will only be a few moments."

Mr. Darlian smiled as his daughter rushed upstairs. Though she tried to hide her excitement, he could see in her bright sapphire eyes that she was just as excited as any other girl her age.

He frowned at the thought of his daughter suppressing her joy. Ever since Relena's mother had died nearly twelve years ago of the plague, Relena had taken it upon herself to maintain a sense of maturity for her father. Mr. Darlian had done the best he could to raise her as a proper young lady, but there were several things he would surely be frowned upon for.

The first, being that he had taught Relena how to read and write rather than sew and cook. The second, was allowing Relena to work alongside him inside the bookshop. Mr. Darlian owned the finest supply of books in the Imperial City, a feat he was very proud of. His business had prospered for many years, allowing him and Relena to live almost in luxury. The Emperor himself had ordered books from Mr. Darlian several times, while others traveled far and wide to explore the vast library. He worked hard to promote his business, day and night. Everything he did, he did for the love of his daughter, whom he made sure, was well educated, unlike most young women her age, and bought her the best clothes he could get, along with nourishing food for their table.

It was Mr. Darlian's housekeeper and cook, Susannah, whom he had hired just a few years ago, who had finally taken the liberty to show Relena how a young lady should act. Relena responded diligently, not at all minding to learn new things. She was always an anxious and willing learner, and when Mr. Darlian had brought Susannah to the house, Relena was excited to have a mother figure in her life once more.

Susannah was a stout woman of fifty. She had had four daughters of her own; now all married off and with children to care for. When her husband had died several years ago from a consumption of his chest, Mr. Darlian had only been too happy to offer her a job as his housekeeper. He was eager to have a motherly figure look after Relena. After all, a man could only do so much for his growing daughter.

Meanwhile, Relena stood upstairs searching through her wardrobe. A knock came on the door.

"Who is it?" asked Relena as she threw a cloak around her to cover her undergarments up.

"Susannah."

"Oh, come in!" replied Relena. She let the cloak fall to the ground. There was no shame in front of another woman.

"Goodness child!" scolded the plump woman. "Your bed chamber is a mess!" She picked up Relena's discarded gown off the floor. She looked at the ink stains and shook her head, "Why you wear this old ting I will never know."

"Better that old thing than one of my nicer gowns. Besides, it is a most comfortable dress. I would rather be comfortable than pulling at my skirts all day."

"Bah!" exclaimed Susannah. She neatly folded the gown across Relena's bed. "What will you wear for tonight's festivities?"

"I do not know."

"Well dress in your finest!" warned Susannah. "There is to be feasting and dancing and you should look your best! Sit down child, and let me fix your hair!"

Relena sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. Susannah set to work on brushing Relena's honey blonde hair, hair that shone brightly when the sun kissed it. Susannah took pieces and curled them around her fingers, twisting them in such a way that when she released them they fell down Relena's back in golden waves. After she had finished that, she went to the dresser and pulled out a pile of ribbons.

"What frock will you be wearing?" she asked Relena.

"I am not sure."

Susannah went to her wardrobe and picked out a beautiful white dress, trimmed with blue ribbon, the same color of blue as Relena's eyes. "You will stand out among all the other girls your age. You will look more like an angel than a shopkeeper's daughter!" she sighed, "If only my daughters could have had your beauty, Relena, I am sure they would have married much better."

Relena blushed at the compliment, "Madam, your daughters are all very pretty, do not compliment me so."

"They are pretty, yes, but not as beautiful as you." She took a blue ribbon out of her pile, one that matched those on her dress, and pulled back a little bit of Relena's hair. This way it was out of her face but at the same time the golden waves would flow around her shoulders and down her back like a waterfall.

"Stand up!" ordered Susannah.

Relena stood as Susannah placed the white gown over Relena's head. She waited patiently as Susannah buttoned up the back. The older woman stepped back to look at her with pride.

"You do look magnificent! Like a young bride on her wedding day!"

"Susannah please…" Relena laughed as she turned to look at herself in the mirror. But her laughter stopped immediately when she saw her reflection. Relena hated vanity, she was never one to call herself pretty or beautiful by any means, but this time Susannah was right, she did look very beautiful. Relena gasped at herself. She had been called pretty before, but she had never once in her life _felt_ that way. Today was different though, today she actually felt it.

An idea suddenly hit Relena and she turned around to see the back of her gown. She struggled to look over her shoulder, but could not see clearly.

"Susannah, does the gown cover up my shoulder blade enough?"

Susannah frowned, "Of course! Why would I send you out into the world to be burned at the stake like a witch! Don't worry, my dear," smiled the older woman. "No one will be able to see the mark of the Sight. I promise."

Relena breathed a sigh of relief. She had always lived in fear of being discovered. The tattoo painted onto her right shoulder blade had been there since she was out of her mother's womb. It was a sign of her gift, one of the chosen ones who had the gift of the Sight, the ability to see events in the future.

"Do not worry about it anymore," said Susannah interrupting Relena from her thoughts. "Tonight is a memorable night indeed! The Five warriors have come home to their city and are looking to celebrate alongside us all! Rare is the day when we meet the Five!"

"Relena!" called her father from downstairs.

Susannah and Relena looked at each other and giggled in delight. They both rushed down to meet Mr. Darlian who stood at the door waiting.

"You ladies look ravishing today!" he exclaimed. "Susannah that must be a new dress, that shade of red is quite fitting for you. And Relena, you look like a princess." He kissed both of them lightly on the cheek.

Together they walked out of the shop. Mr. Darlian locked up the door, put the key in his pocket, and then offered both arms, one for each lady. They made their way down the street and into the gathering crowd.

0000

The crowd cheered. The roar was deafening. The entire city had lined the main avenue to witness the most spectacular parade to ever enter the city. Relena, Susannah, and Mr. Darlian were in the middle of all the excitement. Mr. Darlian had managed to push their way to the front of the crowd so that they were directly on the main avenue. The trumpets blared loudly and Relena felt her heart leap because she knew that it had begun.

"Relena!" cried a small voice.

Relena looked around at the sound of her name and suddenly found herself face to face with a girl her own age, with long blue hair and bright violet eyes.

"Hilde!" exclaimed Relena. The two young women hugged and giggled and laughed like young school girls.

"Oh, you look wonderful!" exclaimed Hilde as she admired Relena's dress.

"You look delightful as well, my dear!" laughed Relena as she admired Hilde's own violet one.

"Ladies!" cried Mr. Darlian above the crowd. "Here they come!"

The two of them gasped and looked as the army began their march. The banners were held high and the trumpets blared loudly in their eyes. The people cheered and waved flags and ribbons. Hilde threw rose petals into the air as they started to pass. Relena smiled and laughed at the wonderful spectacle. Then she saw them.

Five men on horseback, their armor glistening in the sun, walked at the front of the army. Relena felt herself become taken aback at the mere sight of them. They looked to be nothing more than young men, yet wise beyond their years. She heard Hilde gasp beside her,

"Oh, Relena look at them! They are gods among us mortals! How handsome they all are!"

Relena studied them more closely as they approached. Indeed, they were the most handsome young men she had ever seen in her life; each beautiful in his own way, each completely different from the other but at the same time completely the same.

The first had hair brighter than the sun and carried a pleasant countenance. He smiled warmly at the crowd, waving occasionally, and accepting the occasional flower as a gift from a maid. He was timid in his approach but at the same time carried an air of confidence and pride about him. He was a gentleman to say the least.

The next was a peculiar young man with a handsome face and wide grin. He waved abruptly and winked at the young women as he rode by. His mischievous violet eyes darted through the crowd, and every time a girl looked upon him, she swooned at the very sight of him. The warrior would laugh and when he turned his head, Relena caught site of a large brown braid trailing down the warrior's back.

The other three warriors were quite different. They were quiet and more reserved than the first two; almost intimidating to look at.

A tall young man with emerald green eyes sat silently in the saddle. He looked straight ahead, occasionally giving half a smile, but never allowing his emotions to reveal themselves. His brown hair darted over his face shadowing most of his features.

The fourth was a man of oriental descent, probably from the Far East side of the Cinq Kingdom. His jet black hair and black eyes set off the stern features of his face. He scowled as he marched on his horse through the city.

But it was the last warrior who rode ahead of the rest that Relena found to be the most fascinating. He had the most handsome face she had ever laid eyes on, so handsome that she found herself captivated with it. His hair was the most unruly and rugged she had ever seen, a deep chocolate brown that he let fall about his face. But it was his eyes that struck Relena so deeply: deep, Prussian blue eyes that held emotion only Relena could see. She found herself staring at him, as if transfixed.

Suddenly, an all too familiar burning sensation seared through her shoulder and Relena's sight jolted. She found herself staring directly into those eyes. They were filled with pain and sorrow, and another emotion that Relena could not quite make out.

"Relena," whispered her father fiercely.

She snapped back from the Sight and into reality, staring at ordinary soldiers as they passed by. The Five had already passed.

"Are you alright?" asked her father.

She nodded her head slightly staring at the back of the young man, whom she had just had a vision of. She wondered what it meant, just like all the other visions she had had in the past.

"Oh, Relena, can you believe it? It was simply the most wonderful thing I had ever seen!" exclaimed Hilde laughing and smiling.

Relena managed to smile even though she was still dumbfounded. "Yes," she finally managed to mutter. "It was extraordinary."

"Well let's go!" exclaimed Hilde. "There is feasting and dancing to be had yet!"

Relena laughed, "Father, may we go?"

He looked at her with concerned eyes, "Yes, we will meet you at the ball later tonight."

"I am fine father, I promise," Relena replied quietly. "See you tonight!" She dispersed at Hilde's heels, eager to be free and swept away into the festivities.

0000

The Five rode into the courtyard of the Imperial Palace and each side heavily after a long journey.

Duo Maxwell was the first to jump down from his mount, grinning from ear to ear. "Can you believe the reception we just had? That was amazing!"

Quatre Winner smiled warmly, "I daresay the entire city was there today."

"The entire city? I would say more like the entire country!" Duo laughed.

Wufei Chang rolled his eyes, "Maxwell, will you ever learn to keep you big mouth shut?"

"Easy Wufei today is the tenth anniversary of peace! A peace that we have kept for ten years! You should be happy!"

Wufei simply snorted. "I am grateful for peace, but I do not like parading around like some baka in front of everybody!"

"The emperor requested it. Besides it is expected anyways! It has been years since we last set foot inside this city," Quatre said calmly. "I, for one, am grateful to be back. It is almost like a homecoming."

"I agree," stated the tall young man, Trowa Barton, quietly. "It is time that we rest. We have journeyed long enough."

Quatre nodded in agreement and Duo shrugged. The last of the five men slid off his horse and glanced at the palace that loomed before them. Heero Yuy had never thought of this as a homecoming. He had never really thought of the Imperial City as his home, after all, it had been nearly twenty years since he had last seen it.

"The emperor is coming!" exclaimed Quatre.

The Five bowed deeply at the sight of the emperor of the Cinq Kingdom, Milliardo Peacecraft, at his side, stood the Empress Lucrezia and their tiny son, Lucian.

"Welcome, honored guests!" greeted Milliardo.

"My Lord," bowed Heero.

"No my friends, it is I that should bow to you! For ten years you have kept our kingdom peaceful, and as always I am in debt to the Five and to the Guardians who sent you to serve us."

Milliardo and Lucrezia bowed. Their young son, the prince Lucian stared wide eyed at the five warriors.

"Look at his braid mother," the young boy said as he pointed to Duo.

The empress knelt down and spoke to him, "You much treat our guest with respect, Lucian."

But Duo simply grinned, "Do not worry, little prince, you can look all you want, as long as you promise to pull on it."

The little boy giggled and hid behind his mother's skirts. Lucrezia smiled warmly. "Let us show you to your chambers. I am sure you shall want to rest for a few hours before the feasting begins."

Quatre bowed, "Thank you, your majesty."

All followed the royal family into the Imperial Palace, all that is, save Heero Yuy. He walked to the edge of the courtyard. The palace sat high on a hill overlooking the city. It was a magnificent sight to see. Below, Heero could make out the beginnings of the celebration, the People scurrying about, giant bonfires being lit as dusk began to settle.

"Heero come on!" shouted Duo from behind him.

Heero took one last longing look. So this was to be home for a while? He hoped to the gods that everyone was right for once. He turned on his heel and strode inside the palace.

**AN: How do you like it so far? I hope I have grabbed your interest I am so excited about this story! Email: **


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I just love the way this story is going so I'm going to continue it! I can't believe I actually have free time! Okay, here we go!**

Heero watched the dancers from the corner of the grand ballroom. It had never occurred to him how long he had been out of society, but now he fully realized his alienation. He nearly cowered back at the stares and advances of the women of the court who were throwing themselves at the five warriors every chance they could get.

Heero smirked grimly; at least Duo and Quatre didn't seem to mind. The cocky Duo flirted with every woman he came into contact with, and the suave Quatre guided his partners on the dance floor with grace and agility. Even Trowa occasionally let one of the young ladies dance with him.

Wufei moved next to Heero and grunted, "I have no taste for formalities such as these."

"We have been gone far too long, Wufei," replied Heero grimly. "We do not even know how to act in society anymore."

"Not all of us," Wufei smirked as he watched Duo make a fool of himself.

Just then Trowa and Quatre approached them. Quatre was smiling; satisfied with the way the day had turned out. "The night is young and the two of you are standing over here as stoic as statues. Come and celebrate with us!"

"Hn," Heero smirked.

"Heero and Wufei have no desire for dancing," Trowa said smiling slightly. His green eyes twinkled and Quatre smiled at him.

Just then Duo pranced over and clapped Wufei on the shoulders. "Come, my friends! There is still very much to experience!" He grabbed Quatre and Wufei's hands and started pulling them towards the doorway.

"Stop, you braided baka! What do you think you're doing?" exclaimed Wufei.

"We're going out!" Duo said excitedly.

"What?" exclaimed Quatre.

"I said we are going out! Now, come on!" he pulled them once again.

"We cannot leave and insult their Majesties," Trowa said quietly.

"There are hundreds of people in this castle! Do you really think we will be missed?"

"Considering we are the guests of honor I would have to deem it quite possible," Trowa remarked sarcastically.

"Listen," Duo said. "None of us are accustomed to formalities and these sorts of parties anymore. I mean, they are enjoyable, but one can only take so much of them. Now, the real party is out there," he pointed to the city. "The people of the Imperial City wait to celebrate with us! It will be nothing but fun and dancing with those who really matter most. Those people honor us and treat us like gods, the least we can do is celebrate with them as a sign of thanks!"

They looked at their companion stunned by his heroic speech. Duo straightened his jerkin and shrugged his shoulders, "What?"

"We didn't know you had any sense left in you," Heero smirked. The others laughed. It was rare for Duo to make such a speech and it was even rarer for Heero to joke.

"I'm not as dimwitted as you all think I am," he looked at each of them, "What? I'm not!" His face fell, "Well I'm going out there with or without you!" he marched out the doors.

"Someone needs to make sure he stays out of trouble," said Trowa quietly.

Wufei rolled his eyes, Quatre laughed, and Heero frowned as they followed the braided man into the city for the night.

0000

They hated to admit it, but Duo was righter than he had ever been in his entire life. The city life was much more alive than the pomp and circumstance of the palace. Instead of waltzing around daintily, the men whirled the women around the dance floor with speed and vigor. Their faces lit up with joy and laughter.

Every plaza was filled with a different party or feast. They went one by one and visited the citizens who embraced them as one of their own. They offered them food and drink and accepted the warriors with open arms. The best was that, although they were regarded with the utmost respect, they were treated as equals, something the warriors had not experienced in a long time.

The dancing was invigorating. A merry band struck up energetic tunes one could not help but fall into step with. Even Heero found himself being drawn to the music as he watched his comrades whirl partners in a circle around a blazing bonfire under the stars.

He smirked at Duo who chatted gaily with a young lady with blue hair. He cracked jokes while they danced, making her laugh, while she, would fire right back at him taking the man by surprise. It appeared he may have met someone of equal wit.

His dark gaze swept over the crowd. Though he was not inclined to join in on the festivities, he had to admit he was enjoying himself slightly. Then, in one quick glance with his Prussian eyes, everything changed.

He saw her in the crowd weaving in and out as if looking for someone. She looked more like a celestial creature dressed in her white gown, rather than an ordinary girl from the city. She was small and delicate, her skin pale, her cheeks flushed rosy pink. Her face was serene, her lips were parted open ever so slightly, and her striking sapphire eyes dared to stand up to his cold Prussian ones. Heero Yuy did not look at women that way. He did not dare say a woman was beautiful even if it was quite obvious to the eye of the beholder. But this girl was not beautiful, she was captivating.

He felt himself being drawn towards her and she searched through the crowd. She was definitely looking for someone, but whom? Heero was indifferent. He was more fascinated by her expedition than anything.

She went to the outskirts of the party circle and fell back into the shadows watching the other couples dance. She sighed and smiled to herself as she watched the girl with the blue hair and Duo strut around the bonfire. Heero watched her with a curious expression in his eyes.

Relena, meanwhile, was unaware of anyone's presence but her own. She smiled lovingly at Hilde as she watched her dance with the braided haired man. Hilde, dancing with one of the Five. As a matter of fact, the entire company of warriors had joined their party, much to everyone's surprise and delight. Relena had taken note of each of the warriors, and had four accounted for, but she was still seeking out the fifth: her blue eyed man.

She was almost certain that she had seen him shrink back into the shadows after the others had started dancing, but when she began to search for him she gave up. She did not see him anywhere. She guessed that he, unlike the others, had made his way back to the palace. She sighed not knowing what she expected even if she did happen to come across him. But her vision had been so clear, she had looked right into his eyes…

A rough hand grabbed her around the waist. Relena, startled, looked to see a much disheveled man, who reeked of ale, but also stank of much worse things. His teeth were rotted and his hair was greasy. He grinned at Relena and began to pull her closer to him, which was also away from the bonfire. Relena cursed herself from wandering too far from the inner circle. The city had its dangers for a young vulnerable woman.

"Sir!" she exclaimed. "Please, remove your hands at once!"

"Nice night for a reel, wouldn't you say love?" he sneered at her. Relena had to control her facial reactions. The man was positively drunk.

"Yes, sir, but I am inclined to stay by the fire…" she stepped out of his grip but he grabbed her roughly and began to pull her back into the shadows.

"None of that love, you wouldn't want anyone to hear you," he said viciously.

Relena gasped a his response and struggled to get away from him, She started to cry out for help but the man's hand came down over her mouth, muting her cries over the already loud music. She kicked and struggled with all her life, terrified at what would happen to her. Then, suddenly, she fell to the ground.

She landed roughly. She lay there, dazed for a moment, her head swimming. She heard a thud and felt a body lying next to hers. She looked over to see the drunken man, unconscious.

Shocked, Relena stared wide-eyed then dared to look up above her. He stood there looking down at the form of the man, his unruly brown hair covering his face, but his Prussian blue eyes blazing. He knelt down and looked directly into her eyes and at that moment she saw him. It was clear, just like her vision. She saw all the hurt and all the pain that he had ever suffered in his life. She saw his triumphs and his tragedies all in one glance.

He was holding out his hand to help her up. Carefully she took it and she found herself standing face to face with him.

"You should be more careful, the city is no place for carelessness." His voice was deep and monotonous.

"Thank you, sir…I am afraid you have rescued me from a most unfortunate experience," she bowed to him in gratitude.

Heero wondered at the sound of her voice. It was like music, so unique, unlike anything he had ever heard before.

Relena struggled to remain eye contact. He was just gazing at her. There was no emotion on his face, just a blank expression that she couldn't make out. She struggled to find out what he was thinking, but he was just silent.

She decided to speak first, "Do you dance, sir?"

"Not if I can help it," was his simple reply.

Relena was shocked and taken quite aback at his response. It was the coldness of his tone. She felt slightly wounded and was about to turn at least five shades of red when her name was being called, "Relena!"

She spun around at the sound of Susannah's voice, and saw her mentor walking towards her. Relena turned back at took one last look at her rescuer, dropped a quick curtsy, spun around and left before the woman calling her could come over.

Heero watched her go with an indifferent expression on his face. A strange girl, he decided. He knew she carried secrets; they were hidden deep within her eyes. He was still curious, but now he knew her name…Relena.

0000

"Relena, what were you doing over there back in the shadows? And with a young man no doubt! A respectable young woman such as you should never place herself in a situation like that!" scolded Susannah.

"Relax, Susannah, he is one of the Five. He would not harm me, only help me."

"One of the Five or not, he is still a man! Men, they all think alike…"

"Susannah!" Relena cried, slightly horrified. She did not need to be reminded of how men really thought.

"Well I am just saying, child! I was once a young girl like you! I couldn't keep their hands off me…"

Relena smiled and sighed as Susannah went on and on about her younger years. They were back inside the party now, and Relena watched Hilde and her partner dance around and around, his long braid flowing.

"Excuse me miss?" asked a voice.

Relena turned to see the man with the golden hair and bright smile standing before her.

"May I have the honor of asking you for a dance?"

"Of course," smiled Relena as she took his hand.

He grinned and took her around the waist and as the music struck up she found herself dancing with one of the Five. She now knew how Hilde was feeling, looking into such a handsome face.

"Might I ask whom I have the honor of dancing with?" he said to her.

"Relena Darlian. And you are?"

"Quatre Winner, at your service!" he nodded to her deeply and Relena stood shocked at the name.

"Winner, as in the son of Lord Winner of Anion?"

"Well Winner, of the Winner family. My past is difficult to recall."

"Oh I see. But you are one of the Five?"

Quatre was slightly taken aback at her straightforwardness, but he smiled, "Yes, I am here with my comrades. You see that man with the extraordinarily long braid? That is Duo Maxwell." He took his hand at pointed to the tall man. "That over there is Trowa Barton, next to him is Chang Wufei, and lurking around here somewhere, I'm sure, is Heero Yuy."

She paused upon hearing the young man's name. _Heero Yuy._

Heero watched as Relena danced with Quatre. She definitely stood out amongst everyone else in her white gown. Her hair sparkled in waves of gold and her eyes twinkled in the firelight. Had he been one to dance, he might have asked for a reel.

While Quatre spun Relena about, she caught sight of Heero staring at her from the crowd, his Prussian blue eyes fixated on her small form. She caught her breath. Never had she been so curious about a man in all her life.

Her shoulder blade started to burn. She tried to ignore it, but she could not control the Sight when it called to her. Relena stopped dancing abruptly with Quatre and gasped at a fiery sensation that scorched her skin.

"Ms. Relena? Are you okay?" asked Quatre with concerned eyes.

"Yes…" she gasped. "Please excuse me…"

She struggled away from the crowd searching desperately for her father. She had never experienced so much pain before when the Sight came to her. Something was terribly wrong. She needed to get home.

Quatre walked over to a frowning Heero. The two of them watched as the young woman disappeared into the crowd.

"Did you see that Heero?"

He nodded. He started to follow Relena, Quatre closely trailing at his heels.

Relena, on the other hand, was growing frantic. She was in agonizing pain and she struggled to desperately hide her discomfort, but the tears were threatening to spill from her eyes. She walked outside the party circle and over to the shadows where she could suffer in silence.

Collapsing to her knees, Relena grabbed at her left shoulder blade in a desperate attempt to make the pain stop. But that was when the vision came to her…

_A shadow, a dark ravenous creature, swept over the city, his eyes red and looming, and the very sight terrified her to death. He was killing the good people with no mercy. It seemed all they had to do was look at him, look briefly into those red eyes and the only thing left was a blood curdling scream followed by a sick laughter that filled Relena's ears._

_Relena found herself running through the streets. The city was on fire. Bodies lay still on the ground, and people were running towards her as if trying to escape. But, she was running in the opposite direction. It was as if she was running towards the danger they were fleeing from._

_Then he as right before her: the Shadow. His red eyes examined her closely and she froze. Her body was immobilized, she could not move, she felt like she was being lifted into the air, but had no control. He smiled at her sinisterly, she screamed in terror…_

"Relena!" cried her father.

Relena gasped and came back to reality. Her shoulder blade ached, but she was more aware of the small crowd that had gathered around her: her father, Susannah, Hilde, Quatre Winner, and Heero Yuy.

Her father gathered her up in his arms, hugging her tightly. "I want to go home," was all she managed to choke.

He nodded and helped her to stand. She struggled to her feet, but her knees buckled underneath of her. Heero Yuy caught her before she fell to the ground again. She looked weakly into his eyes, not caring whether or not she looked like a helpless damsel, she could hardly breathe.

Mr. Darlian took Relena into his arms and nodded to Susannah and Hilde. "Thank you, my lords, but my daughter is very ill, I shall be taking her home at once."

"Can we offer you an escort, sir?" Quatre asked politely.

"No…no we can manage. I shall carry her," her turned around with his daughter's frail body limp in his arms and left with the other two women.

Quatre looked at Heero questioningly. "What do you think?"

Heero did not move. He was thinking about the girl's sudden illness; how she had suddenly collapsed and the terrified look in her eyes after he had held her. In all his years of traveling he had seen it before.

"She is not ill, she has the Sight," he said coldly.

0000

Mr. Darlian and Susannah watched over Relena as she finally slept peacefully in her bed.

"What do you think?" asked Susannah.

"I do not know, the Sight has never been so punishing to her before," replied Mr. Darlian gravely.

"Aye, the poor child was in anguish."

"Yes…she was." Mr. Darlian was quiet. He was a troubled man to begin with, always worrying about Relena's gift being discovered. Tonight had been close. It was a good thing that Relena had made her way away from the party or she would have been ousted. The only unfortunate thing had been the two of the Five had found her lying in a limp pile on the ground before coming to seek him out. He prayed they did not notice anything strange.

"What shall we do sir?" asked Susannah fearfully.

Mr. Darlian looked at her sharply. Relena had told them both of the frightening vision she had experienced.

"Tell no one Susannah, I cannot let Relena suffer anymore than she already has. If we speak of visions and demons, she will be burned for a witch."

"It is a gift from the gods that she has, not a gift from the devil. If only it were that easy to make others understand." She was thoughtful for a moment before she added, "Should we wake her?"

"No…let her sleep and pray that no one comes knocking on our door in the middle of the night."

**AN: Thank you for all the comments and response. I went through the first chapter and tried to correct my spelling mistakes. Thank you for those of you who pointed them out! Sometimes, no matter how many times I read over a document, I still manage to overlook things. Keep the good responses coming! Email: **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Next chapter, here we go!**

A week had passed since Relena's terrible vision, and no one had come knocking on the door of the bookshop, except for customers. Mr. Darlian and Relena were busy as ever, especially since so many visitors had come to the city to celebrate the anniversary of peace and to see the Five.

Relena exchanged her fine dress for her ink stained one, once more, and took her place behind the counter or occasionally at the printing press in the mornings. In the afternoons she had her lessons from Susannah on sewing, cooking, and other women's work. But, the evenings belonged to Relena, where she could sit in her room and bury her head into a book and forget about her troubles or the horrible vision that had happened.

The Sight had not come to her since then, and she was grateful to feel a sense of normalcy. She escaped into the stories her books had to offer her. She loved reading a good story. She would read until her candle burned too low for her to see the pages anymore. Then, she would retire into her dream world, a world frequently occupied with a pair of Prussian blue eyes.

Relena did not expect to ever see him again. The city was large and he was no doubt carrying out his duties to the Emperor. She knew very little of the Five before they had arrived to the city. Oh, she had heard the stories of their great feats just like anyone else had, but she knew little about their history or where they came from. Quatre Winner had puzzled her even more when she asked of his lineage.

She set upon her father's library looking for answers inside the books. She found very few, but she did learn some things. She learned that the Five were chosen by the gods at birth. They were all destined to protect the people of the Cinq Kingdom, and travel together until they met their deaths. They were immortal unless killed in battle, and if one was killed then all would suffer the same fate together, only to be replaced by the next Five who were waiting patiently to take their place.

It was rather confusing to Relena. These men had no choice in their fate. They could not choose to lead an ordinary life even if they wanted. They must all share an intimate connection, she thought, to remain with each other through thick and thin. They had to be willing to sacrifice their lives if one of them was to fall. She frowned. The five men she met looked to be not much older than her, too young to be great warriors.

She was in the back library of the shop when she heard the bell ring, indicating that a customer had just entered. Her father was out on an errand so Relena made her way to the front room where she stood face to face with Heero Yuy.

Relena froze in his presence, unsure of what to say. He was staring at her with those fixated eyes. His gaze was cold; he was judging her, watching her. Relena suddenly felt she was being discriminated. How she wished she could call upon the Sight at will so that she might read his mind or know what his next move was going to be.

She locked her eyes with his, trying her best to call upon her power. She was determined to find out the purpose of his visit before he announced it himself. She knew the dangers of possessing power, and she would not be tried as a witch when she had done nothing wrong. She was fierce with her stare, struggling to call upon the power that was buried deep within her heart.

"It won't work," he suddenly said.

Relena faltered, startled at his statement. She looked at him questioningly. How could he have known?

"Those who are given the Sight cannot call upon it, so don't try," he replied when she made no move to speak.

Relena frowned. His tone was cold and devoid of any emotion. He was still staring at her, but this time Relena found herself becoming annoyed with his forward approach.

"I do not know what you are talking about, sir," she said simply.

"Your eyes say otherwise," he retorted.

Relena straightened her back and stood to her fullest height. She would not back down. "Can I help you, sir? Or did you just come in here to interrogate me?"

Heero smirked inwardly. For someone who looked so frail, she certainly did showed a different kind of strength. There was a unique fire burning in her sapphire eyes. "I came to inquire upon your health?" he replied stoically.

"My health, sir?" she asked raising a brow.

"You took ill at the festivities last week, did you not?"

Relena almost faltered, "It was nothing…I simply took too much ale."

"You weren't drunk," Heero snapped.

Relena glared at him. "What do you want?"

"To know why you try to hide when you well know that I am quite aware of your abilities."

"I do not know what abilities you speak of, sir."

"You do," he said coldly.

Relena shook her head. "I do not. I am sorry, but if you are not here as a paying customer, I am going to have to ask you to leave this shop at once."

Heero took several steps towards her. Relena backed away fearfully. What was he doing? Terrified, she shrank into the corner of the room until he had her trapped against the wall. He pinned his body to hers and Relena could feel his presence engulf her. She was terribly afraid but at the same time she could not help but stare at his handsome features. His eyes were locked with hers. He had grabbed her wrists and was holding them tightly. The very feel of his touch made her go nearly weak in the knees. She was breathing heavily and he brought his face close to hers. She could smell him, she could almost taste him. His unruly hair fell about his face, and Relena felt it brush against her cheek and he leaned towards her ear. She closed her eyes and listened as he whispered fiercely, his monotonous voice ringing in her ears,

"Make me."

She shuddered violently as she felt his hot breath against her neck. She dared to open her eyes and all at once she lost herself. He was beautiful, the most amazing man she had ever laid eyes upon. She shook her head at his statement.

"Please…"she began.

Just then, the shop bell rang for the opening door and Heero released his grip on her wrist. Relena was somewhat dazed. She looked towards the door to see her father staring at the two of them, a confused expression on his face.

"Father…" she began slowly.

Mr. Darlian took several slow steps towards the two of them, his eyes never leaving Heero Yuy. Finally he spoke, "To what do I owe this great honor? One of the five warriors is visiting my humble shop and I am unprepared for such a surprise…I apologize my lord," he bowed slightly, never taking his gaze away.

Heero looked at Mr. Darlian sharply. "I have come to speak with you about your daughter."

Relena could see the fear in Mr. Darlian's eyes. His face, however, hid his emotions well, "What about her my lord?"

"I beg your permission to escort her this afternoon," replied Heero simply.

Relena blinked in surprise, "What?" she exclaimed.

A look of relief swept across Mr. Darlian's face, "Why of course, my lord! You needn't ask me at all. She would be honored!"

"But father…" began Relena.

"Susannah!" called Mr. Darlian.

The woman burst into the room, took one look at Heero Yuy and bowed deeply. "Yes, sir?"

"Heero Yuy wishes to escort my daughter this afternoon; can you get her ready quickly?"

Susannah's eyes widened. "Of course, at once sir!"

"But I …."

"Shush Relena, upstairs and out of that ink-stained frock!"

Susannah pushed the girl towards the steps and up she marched with Susannah at her heels.

When she was in her room, Relena started to protest again, but Susannah snapped at her.

"This is a great honor! To have one so noble come to call upon you! You must wear your blue dress; it matches your eyes and suits you well. Comb you hair child! Tie it back out of you face with that ribbon over there! Hurry up you can't keep him waiting all day!"

As Relena frantically tried to brush out her long tresses, Susannah pulled at the laces on the blue gown. Relena gasped as her breath took leave of her body.

"Are you trying to suffocate me?" exclaimed the young woman.

"You have to look your best!" snapped Susannah.

"I do not believe Heero Yuy has any ideas of courtship."

"And why not?" asked Susannah as she sharply spun Relena around. "The Five warriors are human and allowed to marry. It would be the greatest of matches, second only to the little prince who hardly knows the meaning of the word. Now, come on!"

Relena was shoved down the stairs and into the front room of the shop to see Heero waiting patiently for her with her father. Mr. Darlian embraced her lightly, kissing her on the cheek, then turned and bowed to Heero in deep respect. Heero nodded and offered Relena his arm. She took it, hesitantly, and the couple made their way into the bustling streets of the Imperial city.

People stared at Heero in awe, and then stared at Relena curiously. Who was this young woman? She felt eyes watching her every move and she suddenly began to burn with embarrassment. Heero, however, walked on stoically, never letting even a glint of emotion show on his handsome face.

"Where are you taking me, my Lord?" she asked quietly.

"To the palace," he replied coolly.

Relena's heart froze. She was powerless against this man. How could she trust him to not label her as a witch? If he took her to the palace, would he turn her in? This courtship he had presented to her father was already under false pretences. She could not let it go any longer.

She jerked her hand away from him and glared at him fiercely. "I will not have you turn me in!"

Heero looked at her in surprise. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"My Lord, I know that you have discovered me and I apologize for my ailment, but believe me when I say I am not wicked!"

Heero grabbed her and pulled her into an alley. "One," he growled in his deep voice, "do not speak of witchcraft so publicly unless you wish to be burnt at the stake. And two, I am not going to turn you in. I will tell you more when we get to the palace but until then I am going to ask you to refrain from speaking at all."

Relena glared at him so fiercely, Heero was almost taken aback. "Why should I trust you?" she spat.

"You shouldn't," was Heero's reply as he grabbed her hand and pulled her along back out into the city.

**000000**

"So explain to me again why I have to wait here all afternoon?" complained Duo as he kicked his heels up onto a table.

"Heero will be here any moment and we have very important matters to discuss," answered Quatre. The blonde haired man pulled an enormous book from a shelf and placed it down on the table. They were in the palace library, and Quatre was doing all the research he could before Heero arrived.

"What are you looking at buddy?" Duo asked curiously.

"Everything I can find about the Sight," muttered Quatre quietly.

"Heero met a girl in the city last week during the festivities," Trowa explained before Duo could ask any more questions. "We need to see if she bears the mark."

"Does everyone know about this but me?" asked Duo. The braided man looked at Wufei who was sitting at the windowsill across the room stoically. Wufei simply raised an eyebrow.

Duo threw up his hands in an exasperated manner and rolled his eyes.

The door to the library suddenly threw open and in marched Heero with a young woman trailing behind him. She looked apprehensive to say the least and from what Quatre could tell, there was an unspoken tension between her and his comrade.

Relena found herself too startled to even remember formalities. She simply stared at the five men in the room, unable to move or speak.

"This is Relena Darlian…" began Heero in his low monotonous voice.

The men all bowed slightly but all Relena could do was nod her head. She held her composure well, but truth be told she was terrified.

"Welcome, Miss Relena," said the blonde haired man whom Relena recognized as Quatre Winner. "First and foremost, we want to assure you of your safety and of the confidentiality you will find within these walls. What is said in this room will not leave it."

"What do you want with me?" she asked.

"To ask you a few simple questions," replied Quatre. "Please sit down."

"I would rather stand," Relena replied somewhat politely.

Heero gave Quatre a look and the blonde simply shrugged, "As you wish madam."

Heero made his way over to a chair and sat down. Judging from her body language this was probably going to take some time. He watched Relena shrink back slightly towards the door and smirked. She was cunning; placing herself between her "captors" and her escape route. Her face showed no signs of distress but when he locked his gaze with hers, he could clearly see the fear in her eyes. She had reason to fear, but that was not why he had brought her here. If his assumptions were correct, fear was not the only thing she would have to worry about.

"Miss Relena, Heero has informed me of your gift and we would like to speak with you about it. We wish you no harm and you must no that your secret is safe with us."

"I suppose I have no choice," muttered Relena.

Quatre nodded, "We understand you are apprehensive Miss Relena, but this is a very serious matter that not only involves your life, but all of our lives. Trowa, would you care to continue?"

The tall man stepped forward and began, "We must ask you some questions, Relena. Some of them are very personal and for that we apologize but your answers must be answered with honesty in order for us to assess the seriousness of the situation."

"We will know if you are lying," said the dark haired man sitting over by the window.

"Wufei!" scolded Quatre.

"I just thought she should know," shrugged the oriental man.

Heero smirked in his chair, catching a quick glance from Relena.

"Alright," replied Relena with dignity. "I suppose I should sit if this will take a while."

"I recommend it," Trowa replied.

She settled herself into a chair and folded her hands over her lap. Heero noted how she straightened her back and lifted her head high; very diplomatic and ladylike. A calm trance swept over her face and she looked directly at Trowa and nodded for him to begin.

"Where were you born?" he asked.

"Here in this city. I have grown up here all my life. My father owns a very successful business in town and my mother died twelve years ago when the plague struck."

"And your parents, where were they born?" asked Trowa.

"To my knowledge, both grew up here all their lives," she replied, her gaze never leaving Trowa's but all the while watching as Quatre wrote her answers down with ink and quick on some parchment.

"When did you begin to have the Sight?"

Relena bowed her head. "Since I was a child…I used to have nightmares and visions. I always thought they were dreams though, I never believed them to be the truth."

"Who knows of your powers?"

Relena looked at him sharply and took to her feet. "I will not have you persecute me! I know what you are all thinking, you think I am a witch and I can assure you I have no power, just dreams and visions and nothing more!"

"Miss Relena, please try and calm down," said Quatre soothingly.

She shook her head and backed towards the door. "I am sorry but I cannot do this. I will not let you interrogate me when I have done nothing wrong. I am not your prisoner and I came here unwillingly but I came, now please let me go!" She turned and was about to open the door when Heero suddenly blocked her path.

"We cannot let you go Relena," he said coldly.

She shook her head in disbelief, and looking into his eyes she let herself go, "Please, I have done nothing wrong. Please let me leave."

_She was pleading with him and Heero saw in that moment the truth and how terrified she truly was. He drew deep within himself the power he possessed and entered her mind. She gasped and held still as she felt him engulf her whole body. She could not move, she could not think, all she could feel was him and he was looking into her more deeply and more intimately than anyone ever could. Part of her wanted to struggle and fight it, but something deep within her told her it was alright and she knew it was the Sight speaking to her so she let the barriers down, ad felt herself fall._

_Heero engulfed her, and what he felt was a rush much more powerful than he could imagine. He closed his eyes and took in all her senses, feelings, and memories. He saw her whole life flash before his eyes and he understood her and where her fear was coming from. She was like a new breath of life, and for some odd reason he felt his heart lift for the first time as if he had found an answer h had been searching for all his life. He hardly knew her, but he knew she was different and that she was special._

"What is he doing?" asked Duo. "Is he crazy? We cannot scry someone's mind without their permission!"

Heero was engulfed in light as he held Relena firmly in his arms. The other men watched and waited patiently.

Quatre looked astounded. He sent out his mind to Heero and Relena's and connected with them briefly before pulling away. "She did."

"But she never said anything!" complained Duo.

"She didn't have to. She wanted him to!" Quatre exclaimed.

"She _wanted_ Heero to do this? But how did she even know?"

"It wasn't here you baka," muttered Wufei. "It is the Sight. She is much stronger than we may realize."

_Heero, in the meantime, went deeper into Relena's mind. He pierced her senses and she allowed to him to. But he started to sense something, a dark presence, buried deep within. Her power began to call to him, and Heero followed the voice of the Sight to where it led him. A light, bright and blinding swept over him and soon he found he was in another place and Relena was standing right before him._

_Heero looked around. They were in a forest clearing, with a single tree in the center of it, accompanied by a small pond. It was night, but a full moon let its bright rays fall into the clearing, illuminating Relena and the light blue gown she was clothed in. Her hair glittered and he suddenly realized she was not the ordinary girl she tried so hard to be. She was staring at him, watching him with concern in her eyes and then she suddenly jerked as if coming out of a trance. She looked around quickly, and then looked to Heero._

"_Where have you taken me?" she asked._

"_The Sight has brought us here, Relena, it was not me." _

"_Is this a dream?" she asked simply and she began to look at their surroundings._

"_No," replied Heero shortly._

"_How do we leave?" _

"_We don't," he replied. "We don't leave until the Sight shows us what it brought us here for. We are in your mind Relena. To leave against your very thoughts would kill us both."_

"_This has never happened before," she said with a twinge of fear in her voice._

_Heero strode over to her. "These are your thoughts, Relena. This is a place that only exists in your mind. There is a reason for bringing us here."_

_She dared herself to look into his eyes. She was afraid of him, afraid of what he might think of her. But she had to be honest if it meant escape. She took a deep breath, "Sometimes I dream of this place. I don't know what it means, but I dream of it and when I am here I feel safe as if nothing can touch me."_

_Heero nodded and thought for a moment. "Relena," he began, "in your dreams, what do you do when you're here?"_

"_I…I usually sit under the tree by the pond."_

_He nodded and started to walk over to the tree. Relena watched him closely, not wishing to follow. She noted how Heero was aware of everything around him all at once. His senses were fully alert, not missing anything. HE approached the tree and began to examine its trunk and branches and leaves. She sighed while he indulged in his investigation and began to walk towards him, when a cold breeze caught her arm._

_She stopped, curiously. The breeze began to draw itself around her, a sensation she had never felt before. It started at her feet and swept up to her gown and then her hair. She looked to Heero and saw that he was already watching her. She almost felt herself smiling as he approached, an odd feeling at such a time, but her thoughts soon faded when she read the alarm written in his Prussian eyes._

"_Relena!" he cried._

_She spun around and saw the shadow approaching her, the same shadow that came in her visions. She screamed and Heero grabbed her roughly, slamming her to the ground. _

"_Don't look into his eyes!" Heero hissed._

_Relena could not move or speak. She wanted out of this nightmare, out of her own mind. She wanted to be free. She had to be!_

Heero gasped and fell to the ground as he came from the depths of Relena's mind. Duo was above him immediately accompanied by Wufei.

"What happened?" asked Wufei.

Heero shook his head and hissed, "Octavian!"

Wufei and Duo looked at each other sharply at the name, dark thought clouding their features.

"Where's Relena?" Heero asked suddenly. When they didn't reply right away, Heero jumped to his feet and looked across the room. The young woman was in Quatre's arms unconscious, as Trowa held his hands over her, a green light illuminating from them as he sought to heal whatever injuries had occurred.

Heero knelt next to them and looked at Trowa, not needing to ask out loud.

Trowa sighed as he took his hands away, "She is fine, but I strongly advise that the two of you do not try that anymore."

"Hn," was Heero's only reply. "Arrange a place for her to rest."

"What of her father, Heero? She has a home, she has a family," Quatre said quietly.

"Wufei, inform Mr. Darlian that his daughter is now under our protection and thus must remain in the palace under strict observation. He may come and visit whenever he so chooses but she must remain here," Heero barked as he walked out of the room.

Wufei left immediately.

Quatre shook his head. Trowa lifted Relena in his arms and carried her out of the room.

"Duo, what is going on?" asked Quatre.

"Octavian," muttered Duo in disbelief. "May the gods protect us."

**00000**

The shadow, Octavian, smirked to himself. He had seen her now and he would have her. They did not know he was free but he was and he was coming for them. He would not be destroyed again, and he would not let her stop him. The games were about to begin, but this time he was going to win the war.

**AN: Sorry this update took so long! Email: **


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